Electric car-lighting system



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. F. MCELROY.

ELECTRIC GAR LIGHTING SYSTEM.

Patented May 24 IIIIIIIINIIIIII 4(No Model.) Y 2 hets-Sheet 2.

J. F. MGELROY.

ELECTRIC GAR LIGHTING SYSIBM.

No. 475,514. Patented May 24, 1892.

. UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MCELROY, OE ALBANY, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO rPHE CONSOLI- DATED CAR HEATING COMPANY, OF IVHEELING, IVEST VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC CAR-LIGHTING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,514, dated May 24, 1892. Application filed December 19, 1891. Serial No. 415.599. (No model.)

To ail wir/ml it may concern: through the storage-battery. The storage- Beitknown thatLJAMEs EMCELROY, a citibattery is adapted to maintain the lamps only zen of the United States, residing at Albany, during the time required for stoppages of the in the county of Albany and State of New train. One storage-battery, however, maybe York, have invented certain new and useful used for all thecars instead of placing one in Improvements in Systems of Lighting Cars by each car. Electricity, of which the following is a speeirlhe object of my arrangement is to employ fication, reference being had therein to the devices and instrumentalities which are not accompanying drawings. liable to get out of order and which operate 6o io This invention relates to new and useful automatically. To this end I have dispensed improvements in systems ot electrical distriwith the use of a dynamo requiring a combution for lighting railway-trains by elecniutator, as this is a constant source of troutricity. ble, requiring close attention, which it could The object of my Antion is to provide a not be given in the running ot` trains. The 65 I5 practical system fo v -ghting cars by elecsame holds good for all other devices emtricity; and to this el have devised a sysployed for distributing and regulating the tem of distribution L-h'e'principle of which in current and in which there are moving congeneral consistsin generating the currentietacts, which occasion sparking and present a quired for the maintenance of the lights by constant source of annoyance and trouble. 7o 2o means of a dynamo operated by the motion My devices constantly operato in closed cirof thetraiu itself, andieinploying in conneccuits without any making or breaking of conton therewith a storage-battery of sufficient tacts while in operation. The resistances capacity to maintain the lights during stopwhich I use are merely in the nature of obpages. structions, which simply divert the current 75 My invention involves a novel system ot from one path to another or prevent its pasdistribution by which I carry out this prinsage, more or less, as in the case of the potenciple, and which, briefiy described, consists tial-regulator. in generating the current by/means of an al- Having now described myinvention in gcnternating-current dynamo the field of which eral, I will describe it more in detail in con- 8o 3o is maintained by its own current by means nection with the accompanying drawings.

of two sets of field-coils included in two Figure lisa diagrammatic representation branches of a shunt-circuit, through which of my system of train-lighting; Fig. 2, an enthe current-waves are directed by resistances larged detail ot' the current-regulator. alternately created in these branches; further, A represents the alternating-current dyna- 8 a potential-regulatoris employed, which opermo, which is intended to be operated by the ates by the abnormal increase or decrease of motion ot the train in any known manner, the pressure in the shunt-circuit to decrease preferably by securing the armature upon one the current in the field-magnets, and which of the axles ot' the forward truck of the locowhen the pressure drops below a certain motive with the field secured to the frame of 9o 4o limit, as in the slacking or stopping of atrain, the truck. This field `has two alternate sets opens the main circuit of the dynamo. Each et field-magnets a a', each included in a sepacar is equipped with the requisite number of rate branch of a shunt-circuit B,which is conlamps and with a storage-battery, the lights nected to the main leads C Con the locomobeing placed in multiple between one of the tive or car itself, on which the dynamo is 95 main leads and one of two branches of a placed, and this shunt-circuit always remains feeder from the other main lead and the storclosed. age-battery being placed in circuit with the D is the potential-regulator, preferably same main lead and the other branch of the placed in the car under the eye of the engineer feeder, with a current-director placed in the on the locomotive. It consists of a bar of roo 5o feeder, whereby one phase of the current is iron (l, turning upon a pivot d', and with its directed through the lamps and the other ends bent to form suit-able cores cl2 d3, adapted directions.

to enterinto thewirehelices e e e2, placed in proximity thereto. .The ,helix e is. included in the shuiit-circuit B and the helices e eL are respectively included in the two branches b b' of the sliunt-circuit. The two helices e 62 form -one compound coil, although for the sake of clearness they are shown as two sepa. rate coils. They are also wound in opposite A potential-springfis secured to the bar d to normallywithdraw by its teri-` sion the cores d2 d3 from the helices, andcoi tacts g g. are arranged whereby one end of the bar is adapted to operate against the spring g of said contact to make and break connection with the fixed Contact gf The contacts g g' constitute a make-and-break' connection in the main lead C of the generator, and the force of the spring is adapted to break said contact by pressing the end of the bar dagainst ,the spring g.

` E is a cu rreiit-director consisting of the rigid frame h, provided near one end with two abutinents L h2. To the other end of this frame is secured one end of the core of an electromagnet i, while the other end of said corev is f reeandy has two ab utments 1I i2 formed there-2 on ,which are correspondingly opposite and.be-l

tween theabutments 7L h2 on the frame. Car-1 bon disks 7' j are interposed between thesel abut-ments on oppositesides of the abutments on the magnet-core, whereby the latter in eX pan'ding or contracting its length is adapted? lto compress or clamp one of the pile of car-i houfdisksgnore orless. ,The core is `compara-a,i tivelylong. AIts coil is included in the shunt-3 pircuitv B, and alongside the electro-inagnet isgsecureda permanent magnet 7c, extendingi with its. pole in proximity to the poles of said vmagnet. The shunt B after passing through? the coil ot the electro-magnet 'L' divides into the two branchesb b', which are connected,` respectively, to the carbon disksjjand from, there lead to the field-magn ets, to lwhich they? areallternately connected in any desired maiiner. ,The inain leads C C extend fromthe locomotive to the cars. to be lighted, and areprovided with the usual ,coupling ,devices-'foi'.

connecting and disconnecting them between the cars.

VF is another currentldirector located on a car. `It is preferably of the saine description or type as the current-director E, just described, and its electro-inagnetis included in Y a feederG from the main lead C. After passing through the electro-magnet the feederdivides in two branches GrA G2, one connect-v ing through one of the pile of carbon disks of thecurrent-directorand` extending from there to forni a feeder for the lamps, and the otherj connecting through the'other pile of carbon;

disks and extending from there to forma feeder for the storage-battery. The lights I` arein multiple between the main lead C and thebranch feeders G G2, respectively.

' .K is a switch-in the branch feeder G2, and L isla fixed resistance equalto the resistanceof the storage-battery, all so arranged that the branchfeeder G2. may be connected either to the resistance or to the lamps.

In practice the parts being substantially arranged and constructed as shown and described. they are intended to operate as follows: When the locomotive is at rest, the dynamo-circuit isheld open by the vibrating armature of the potential-regulator in pressing down upon the spring-contact g. When the train starts up, the dynamo will at once beginto generate a current, which is all sent into the field-magnets through the permanently-closed shunt, the current-waves of one direction ,iiowing through one set and the current-waves of opposite direction ilowmg through the other set of field-magnets. This is brought about bythe current-director, the electro-magnet of lwhich is energized by` the current flowing through its coil, thereby producing a lengthening of the core .diie to the magnetizing effect. However, as the current is alternately in opposite directions 1t will alternately reverse the polarity of the core,

and therefore if the polarity is such as to satisfy the 'polarity of the permanet magnet k its magnetism will be greatly increased and .its c'ore correspondingly increased in length, whileit' the magnetism of thecore is counteracted by the permanent magnet the corewill .be shortened. Thus one current-wave-may be made to produce a tight clamping or conipressing upon the pile of carbon .disksjand .the opposite cu rrent-wave produce `a similar eiect uponthe pileof earbonj. lTlieconductivity through one. pile' of `carbon disks is thus increased, while the one of the other pile of carbon is simultaneously decreased. The currentfdirector is arranged'to operate `in this manner andhasy suitable adjusting devices to produce the desired compression alternately upon the two piles of carbon disks,

-thus atordin g the current impulses ofone director an easier `passage through onebranch and to the current impulsesof.; the opposite direction an easier passage through the other branch without at any time producing a break in the circuit. The dynamo is thus. made .self-exciting, .and as the ,currentwill rapidly increase with the speed of the train it will ,soon produce sutiicient pressure to rock the armature d, owing toy the magnetizing eiects of thehelices e e2 upon the cord d2. A slight rocking of the armature d is sufficient to allow the springcontact g to close the circuit of the dynamoto the cars, andlhereby supply the Vlights with the necessary current and at the Sametime charge the storage-battery vfor future use, the operation of 'the -currentdirector F .being such as to direct the current impulses in one vdirection through the lights and those in the opposite direction to the storage-battery until the latter is fully charged. The storage-battery, it will be seen, is always connected to the `lamps when the switch K is closed, and thus upon any failure or irregularity of the current the lamps are fed by the storage-battery, and the latter will IIO izo

thus tend to maintain the lights uniform. Should it be desired to charge the storagebattery without burning the lamps, the switch K is turned to close with the resistance L, which allows, again, one-half of the current to be passed into the storage-battery. \Vl1enever the pressure of the d ynamo-current drops below the normal degree as adjusted by the springf from any cause whatever-such as by a decrease in the speed of the train or by the battery-current overcoming the dynamocurrent when the battery is fully chargedthe potential-regulator will automatically d isconnect the dynamo from the storage-batter t and lamps, and the latter-will be taken care of by the storage-battery until the current again comes up.

The regulation of the current is extremely simple and is especially valuable in a system of train-lighting where the relatively slow step-by-step movement of the variable resistance-regulators is entirelyinadmissible, letting alone the matter of contacts which would lead to sparking and consequent fusing or burning out or other danger.

By looking at the drawings it will be seen that in my current-regulator the magnetic cores are entirely withdrawn from the helices and the latter offer but a slightly-appreciable resistance tothe passa-ge of the current.. Even after the armature has left the contact-sprin g gthe cores are still outside the helices'. Upon an increase of current above the normal pressure the magnetizing effect of thehelices e c2 upon the core d2 will increase the immersion of the cores into the helices and the coil c becomes essentially a choke-coil, and the more the pressure increases the more the cores d2 (Z3 will be drawn within the helices against the increasing tension of the spring and thereby choke the current supplying the field. The choking effect of a piece of iron being thrust within a helix traversed by an alternating or intermittent current is very great, much greater than the mere presence of the iron alone would make it, and as the range of the effect is from a mere proximity to entire immersion of both cores within the helix the cumulative effect of choking the current operates within widely separated limits.

Instead of arranging the field-magnets in two sets, as shown, each field-magnet may be provided with two coils included in the two branches of the shunt, and I claim this arrangement as an obvious modification.

I have designed for practical use a current-director and a regulator embodying the principle of operation herein described and shown, but which are of superior mechanical construction and which are described and shown by me in separate applications fo r Letters Patent.

Vhat I claim as my invention isl. In an electric system of lighting cars, the combination of a generatorof alternating currents provided with two sets of field-eoils,`two

esta

main leads extending through the cars, a shunt-circuit divided into two branches connected to alternate field-coils, and a currentdirector operated by the passage of the current through said shunt-circuit to divert the current-waves of one direction to one branch ot' said shunt-circuit and those of the opposite direction to the other branch of said circuit, substantially as described.

2. In an electric system of lighting cars, the combination of agenerator of alternating currents provided with two sets of field-coils, two main leadsextendingthrough thecars,ashuntcircuit divided into two branches, one for each set of field-coils, a current-director operated by the passage of the current through said shunt-circuit to divert the current impulses of one direction to one branch and those of the opposite direction tothe other branch of said shunt-circuit, and current-regulatingdevices comprising a choke-coil in the shun t-eireuit, whose iron core is immersed or withdrawn from the coil by the operation of a controlling-magnet in the branches of the shun t-circuit, substantially as described.

In an electric-light equipment for cars, the combination of two main conductors, means for supplying the same with an alternating current, a storage-battery and lamps respectively in circuit with one of the main conductors and with separate branches of a feeder from the other main conductor, and a current-director in said feeder operated by the current passing through said feeder to divert the current impulses of like direction alternatel y to one and the other branch of said feeder, substantially as described.

4. In an electric-light equipment for a car, the combination of two main conductors forming part of the main leads of an alternating-current generator, a storage-battery and lamps respectively in circuit with one of the main conductors and with separate branches on a feeder from the other main conductor, a current-director in the feeder, operated by the current passing through said feeder to divert the current impulses alternately over one or the other branch of the feeder, a resistance in a shunt-circuit with the lamps, and a switch in the lamp-circuit for cutting out the lamps and closing the circuit through the resistance, substantially as described.

5. In an electric-light equipment for a car, the combination of two main conductors of an alternating-current generator, a storagebattery in circuit with one of said main conductors and with one branch of a feeder from the other main conductor, lamps in multiple with the same main conductor and with another braneh of said feeder, carbon disks or like bodies having their conductivity increased or decreased by an increase or decrease in pressure included in each branch of said feeder, and a magnetic device operated by the current impulses passing in opposite directions through the feeder to alternately IOO IIO

l compress the carbon disks in the branches lpassage of an alternating current througlr said circuit the core-of said electro-magnet is alternately lengthened and shortened, and thereby correspondingly compresses one or the other pile of carbon disks to divert the,v current impulses of one direction to one .branch and those of the opposite direction to@ the other branch, substantially as described.4

. 7. In anelectric system of lighting cars, comprising a generator of, alternating currents,

provided with two sets of field-coils, two main leads extending through the cars, a shuntcircuit divided in two branches, one for eaclr of the field-coils, and a current-director in said shunt-circuit, a combined regulator and switch consistingof a choke-coil in the shuntc1rcuit,a controlling-magnet formed of two oppositely-wound helices included, respect-v ively, in the two branches of the shunt-circuit, a tilting bar carrying wires for the chokecols and controlling-magnet, respectively, a spring for retracting the same, and a switch for cutting out the main leads, operated by said tilting bar in its retracted position, substantially as described.

S. In an electric system of lighting cars, the combination of-a generator of alternating cu rrents, vprovided with two sets of field-coils placed on the locomotive, two main leads extending through the carsa shunt-circuit divided into two branches connected to alternate field-coils, a current-director .in said shunt-circuit, storage-batteries and lamps placed in each carand included, respectively, in circuit between one of the main leads and separate branches ot' a feeder from the other ,main lead,.a current-director n said feeder,

operated by the current passing through the same to divert the current impulses of like direction alternately to one and the other branches of said feeder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaixin y signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES F. McnLRoY.

Vitnesses:

EDWIN A. SMITH, I-IoMER J. NODINE. 

